Warp Drive, When?
Some Emerging Possibilities
The following section has a brief description of some ideas that have been
suggested over the years for interstellar travel, ideas based on the
sciences that do exist today.
* Lists of Some Intriguing Emerging Physics
* Lists of some preparatory propulsion research
* General Relativity
* Vacuum Fluctuations of Quantum Physics
* 1994 Workshop on Faster-Than-Light Travel
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Lists of Some Intriguing Emerging Physics
Science and technology are continuing to evolve. In just the last few years,
there have been new, intriguing developments in the scientific literature.
Although it is still too soon to know whether any of these developments can
lead to the desired propulsion breakthroughs, they do provide new clues that
did not exist just a few short years ago. A snapshot of just some of the
possibilities is listed below:
* 1988; Morris and Thorne: Theory and assessments for using wormholes for
faster-than-light space travel.
* 1988; Herbert: Book outlining the loopholes in physics that suggest
that faster-than-light travel may be possible.
* 1989; Puthoff: Theory extending SakharovÕs 1968 work to suggest that
gravity is a consequential effect of the vacuum electromagnetic zero
point fluctuations.
* 1992; Podkletnov and Nieminen: Report of superconductor experiments
with anomalous results -- evidence of a possible gravity shielding
effect.
* 1994; Haisch, Rueda, and Puthoff: Theory suggesting that inertia is a
consequential effect of the vacuum electromagnetic zero point
fluctuations.
* 1994; Alcubierre: Theory for a faster-than-light "warp drive"
consistent with general relativity.
* 1996; Eberlein: Theory suggesting that the laboratory observed effect
of sonoluminescence is extraction of virtual photons from the
electromagnetic zero point fluctuations.
Lists of some preparatory propulsion research
These emerging ideas are all related in some way to the physics goals for
practical interstellar travel; controlling gravitational or inertial forces,
traveling faster-than-light, and taking advantage of the energy in the space
vacuum. Even though the physics has not yet matured to where "space drives"
or "warp drives" can be engineered, individuals throughout the aerospace
community and across the globe have been tracking these and other emerging
clues. Most of this work has been fueled purely from the enthusiasm, talent,
and vision of these individuals, but on occasion, there has been small
support from their parent organizations.
Surveys & Workshops:
* 1972 Mead Jr.: Identification and assessments of advanced propulsion
concepts.
* 1982 Garrison, et al.: Assessment of ultra high performance propulsion.
* 1986 Forward: Assessment of the technological feasibility of
interstellar travel.
* 1990 NASA Lewis Research Center: Symposium "Vision-21: Space Travel for
the Next Millennium."
* 1990 British Aerospace Co.: Workshop to revisit theory and implications
of controlling gravity.
* 1990 Cravens: Assessment of alternative theories of electromagnetics
and gravity for propulsion.
* 1991 Forward: Assessment of advanced propulsion concepts.
* 1994 Bennett, et al.: NASA workshop on the theory and implications of
faster-than-light travel.
* 1994 Belbruno: Conference assessing: "Practical Robotic Interstellar
Flight: Are We Ready?"
* 1995 Hujsak & Hujsak: Formation of the "Interstellar Propulsion
Society."
Theory:
* 1988 Forward; 1989, Winterberg: Further assessments of BondiÕs 1957
theory regarding hypothetical negative mass and its propulsive
implications.
* 1984, Forward: Conceptual design for a "vacuum fluctuation battery" to
extract energy from electromagnetic fluctuations of the vacuum based on
the Casimir effect (predicted 1948, measured 1958 by Sparnaay).
* 1994; Cramer, et. al.: Identification of the characteristics of natural
wormholes with negative mass entrances that could be detectable using
existing astronomical observations.
* 1996; Millis: Identification of the remaining physics developments
required to enable "space drives," including the presentation and
assessment of seven different hypothetical "space drive" concepts.
Experiments:
* 1991; Talley: Tests of "Biefeld-Brown" effect (results negative).
* 1995; Millis & Williamson: Tests of HooperÕs gravity - electromagnetic
coupling claim (results negative).
* 1995; Schlicher: Evidence for thrusting using "Unsymmetrical Magnetic
Induction Fields" (unconfirmed).
* 1996; Forward: Experimental proposals for testing vacuum fluctuation
theories and other mass-modification theories.
General Relativity
This is a snap shot of how gravity and electromagnetism are known to be
linked. In the formalism of general relativity this coupling is described in
terms of how mass warps the spacetime against which electromagnetism is
measured. In simple terms this has the consequence that gravity appears to
bend light, red-shift light (the stretching squiggles), and slow time. These
observations and the general relativistic formalism that describes them are
experimentally supported.
Although gravityÕs effects on electromagnetism and spacetime have been
observed, the reverse possibility, of using electromagnetism to affect
gravity, inertia, or spacetime is unknown.
"Grand Unification Theories"
[graphic]
The mainstream approach to better understand this connection is through
energetic particle smashing. Physicists noticed that when they collided
subatomic particles together they figured out how the "weak force" and
electromagnetism were really linked. They cranked up the collision energy
and learned of that this new "Electro-Weak" theory could be linked to the
"strong nuclear force". SO.... just crank up the power some more, and maybe
weÕd understand gravity too. Unfortunately, the collision energies needed
are not technologically feasible, even with the Super Conductor Super
Collider that got canceled, but its still a thought.
Vacuum Fluctuations of Quantum Physics
"Zero Point Energy"
Zero Point Energy (ZPE), or vacuum fluctuation energy are terms used to
describe the random electromagnetic oscillations that are left in a vacuum
after all other energy has been removed. If you remove all the energy from a
space, take out all the matter, all the heat, all the light... everything --
you will find that there is still some energy left. One way to explain this
is from the uncertainty principle from quantum physics that implies that it
is impossible to have an absolutely zero energy condition.
For light waves in space, the same condition holds. For every possible color
of light, that includes the ones we canÕt see, there is a non-zero amount of
that light. Add up the energy for all those different frequencies of light
and the amount of energy in a given space is enormous, even mind boggling,
ranging from 10^36 to 10^70 Joules/m3.
In simplistic terms it has been said that there is enough energy in the
volume the size of a coffee cup to boil away EarthÕs oceans. - thatÕs one
strong cup of coffee! For a while a lot of physics thought that concept was
too hard to swallow. This vacuum energy is more widely accepted today.
What evidence shows that it exists?
First predicted in 1948, the vacuum energy has been linked to a number of
experimental observations. Examples include the Casimir effect, Van der Waal
forces, the Lamb-Retherford Shift, explanations of the Planck blackbody
radiation spectrum, the stability of the ground state of the hydrogen atom
from radiative collapse, and the effect of cavities to inhibit or enhance
the spontaneous emission from excited atoms.
The Casimir Effect:
The most straight-forward evidence for vacuum energy is the Casimir effect.
Get two metal plates close enough together and this vacuum energy will push
them together. This is because the plates block out the light waves that are
too big to fit between the plates. Eventually you have more waves bouncing
on the outside than from the inside, the plates will get pushed together
from this difference in light pressure. This effect has been experimentally
demonstrated.
Can we tap into this energy?
It is doubtful that this can be tapped, and if it could be tapped, it is
unknown what the secondary consequences would be. Remember that this is our
lowest energy point. To get energy out, you presumably need to be at a lower
energy state. Theoretical methods have been suggested to take advantage of
the Casimir effect to extract energy (let the plates collapse and do work in
the process) since the region inside the Casimir cavity can be interpreted
as being at a lower energy state. Such concepts are only at the point of
theoretical exercises at this point.
With such large amount of energy, why is it so hard to notice?
Imagine, for example, if you lived on a large plateau, so large that you
didnÕt know you were 1000 ft up. From your point of view, your ground is at
zero height. As long as your not near the edge of your 1000 ft plateau, you
wonÕt fall off, and you will never know that your zero is really 1000. ItÕs
kind of the same way with this vacuum energy. It is essentially our zero
reference point.
What about propulsion implications?
The vacuum fluctuations have also been theorized by Haisch, Rueda, and
Puthoff to cause gravity and inertia. Those particular gravity theories are
still up for debate. Even if the theories are correct, in their present form
they do not provide a means to use electromagnetic means to induce
propulsive forces. It has also been suggested by Millis that any asymmetric
interactions with the vacuum energy might provide a propulsion effect.
1994 Workshop on Faster-Than-Light Travel
In May 1994, Gary Bennett of NASA Headquarters (now retired), convened a
workshop to examine the emerging physics and issues associated with
faster-than-light travel. The workshop, euphemistically titled "Advanced
Quantum/Relativity Theory Propulsion Workshop," was held at NASAÕs Jet
Propulsion Lab. Using the "Horizon Mission Methodology" from John Anderson
of NASA Headquarters to kick off the discussions, the workshop examined
theories of wormholes, tachyons, the Casimir effect, quantum paradoxes, and
the physics of additional space dimensions. The participants concluded that
there are enough unexplored paths to suggest future research even though
faster-than-light travel is beyond our current sciences. Some of these paths
include searching for astronomical evidence of wormholes and wormholes with
negative mass entrances (searches now underway), experimentally determining
if the speed of light is higher inside a Casimir cavity, and determining if
recent data indicating that the neutrino has imaginary mass can be credibly
interpreted as evidence for tachyon-like properties, where tachyons are
hypothesized faster-than-light particles.
Contents
* Why is interstellar travel so tough?
* From Inspirations to Inventions
* Ideas based on what we know
* Ideas based on what weÕd like to achieve
* Some Emerging Possibilities